Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 20, 2019 | SD | SB 115 | Authorizes Constitutional Carry Within the Capital | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2019 | SD | HB 1108 | Prohibits Gender Dysphoria Sex Education from Kindergarten through Grade 7 | Bill Passed - House (39 - 30) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | SD | SB 47 | Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (47 - 23) |
| Jan. 29, 2019 | SD | HB 1027 | Amends Election Day Voting Laws Related to Voting Centers and Precinct Workers | Bill Passed - House (50 - 20) |
| Jan. 22, 2019 | SD | SB 47 | Authorizes Concealed Carry to Individuals Without a Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 26, 2018 | SD | SB 76 | Amends Voter Registration | Veto Override Passed - House (56 - 7) |
| March 7, 2018 | SD | HB 1083 | Amends Concealed Carry Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 3) |
| March 7, 2018 | SD | HB 1140 | Amends Public Water Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 14) |
| March 6, 2018 | SD | HB 1140 | Amends Public Water Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | SD | HB 1199 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18) |
| Feb. 14, 2018 | SD | HB 1106 | Authorizes Hunting Preference Points to be Granted to Individuals age 10 Years or Older | Bill Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| Feb. 13, 2018 | SD | HB 1199 | Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Feb. 23, 2017 | SD | HB 1072 | Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without Permit | Bill Passed - House (37 - 30) |
| Feb. 22, 2017 | SD | SB 149 | Authorizes Child-Placement Agencies to Deny Services Based on Religion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2017 | SD | HB 1101 | Prohibits Abortion After 19 Weeks of Pregnancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 8) |
| March 11, 2016 | SD | SB 172 | 2016-2017 Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| March 11, 2016 | SD | SB 172 | 2016-2017 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| March 8, 2016 | SD | SB 171 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Failed - House (25 - 43) |
| March 8, 2016 | SD | SB 159 | Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies | Bill Passed - House (45 - 23) |
| March 3, 2016 | SD | HB 1008 | Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex | Veto Override Failed - House (36 - 29) |
| March 1, 2016 | SD | HB 1182 | Increases Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 24, 2016 | SD | SB 159 | Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | SD | SB 72 | Prohibits Abortions After 22 Weeks | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | SD | SB 171 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 23, 2016 | SD | HB 1206 | Authorizes the Use of Handguns to Hunt Game Birds | Bill Failed - House (23 - 44) |
| Feb. 22, 2016 | SD | HB 1182 | Increases Sales Tax | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| Feb. 16, 2016 | SD | HB 1008 | Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 9, 2016 | SD | HB 1112 | Repeals Transgender Policies Adopted by High School Sports Associations | Bill Passed - House (45 - 23) |
| Feb. 8, 2016 | SD | HB 1107 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Religious Beliefs | Bill Passed - House (46 - 10) |
| Jan. 27, 2016 | SD | HB 1008 | Prohibits Students from Using School Restrooms Designated for the Opposite Biological Sex | Bill Passed - House (58 - 10) |
| Jan. 27, 2016 | SD | HB 1075 | Expands Nonresident Waterfowl Hunting Areas | Bill Passed - House (36 - 32) |
| March 13, 2015 | SD | SB 1 | Increases Speed Limit | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 9) |
| March 13, 2015 | SD | SB 1 | Increases Speed Limit | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 11) |
| March 10, 2015 | SD | SB 69 | Amends Procedures for Elections and Election Petitions | Bill Passed - House (41 - 25) |
| March 10, 2015 | SD | SB 1 | Increases Speed Limit | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| March 3, 2015 | SD | SB 89 | Requires School Safety Plans and Lockdown Drills | Bill Failed - House (30 - 37) |
| March 3, 2015 | SD | HB 1030 | Requires Motorists to Maintain Safe Distance When Passing Cyclists | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | SD | SB 189 | Establishes Tax Credit Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2015 | SD | SB 177 | Establishes a Youth Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 17, 2015 | SD | HJR 1001 | Requests a Constitutional Convention | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Feb. 17, 2015 | SD | HB 1030 | Requires Motorists to Maintain Safe Distance When Passing Cyclists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | SD | HB 1116 | Authorizes Concealed Carry Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (44 - 23) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | SD | HB 1195 | Requires a Student's Gender Identity to be Determined by a Birth Certificate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | SD | HB 1096 | Requires Background Check for Concealed Carry Permit | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | SD | SB 57 | Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| March 13, 2014 | SD | HB 1177 | Prohibits Texting While Driving on a Highway | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 18) |
| March 13, 2014 | SD | HB 1177 | Prohibits Texting While Driving on a Highway | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 7) |
| March 12, 2014 | SD | SB 98 | Authorizes Certain Municipalities to Increase Occupancy Tax | Veto Override Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| March 11, 2014 | SD | HB 1162 | Prohibits Sex-Selective Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 10) |
| March 10, 2014 | SD | HB 1162 | Prohibits Sex-Selective Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |